SOCIETY OF ST PAUL

The Society of Saint Paul is a religious Congregation founded by Blessed James Alberione in 1914 at Alba, Italy. The Society of St Paul is the first branch of the Pauline Family consists of five religious congregations (Society of St Paul, Daughters of St Paul, Pious Disciples of the Divine Master, Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Sisters of Mary Queen of Apostles), four Institutes (Institute of our Lady of Annunciation, Institute of St Gabriel the Archangel, Institute of the Holy Family, Institute of Jesus the Priest) and the Association of Pauline Cooperators. It was in the night that divided the 19th century from the 20th that Alberione, a young seminarian, received a particular light to do something for the people of the new century. He felt obliged to serve the Church and to work with others in an organized way. That inspiration was vital for the specific mission and spirit of the Pauline Family. At first he thought of a Catholic organization of writers, technicians, propagandists to whom he would give direction, work and spirit. But towards 1910, in a greater light, he became convinced that these writers, technicians and propagandists should be men and women religious. This inspiration from the Lord became a concrete realization on 20thAugust 1914 amidst the destructions and calamities of the First World War. Mons. Giuseppe Re, the Bishop of Alba, erected the Society of St Paul as a Congregation with Diocesan Approval on 3rd December 1927. The Holy See officially approved the Congregation on 27th June 1949.

The Society of St Paul was born with the specific charism to spread Christian message and values through the means of communication. Fr. Alberione began The Typography School of Little Workers(later on Society of St Paul) with a few boys (first vocations to the Society of St Paul) and a small printing machine.

The apostolate that was known at the beginning asapostolate of the press grew to become publishing apostolate. As time went by, it became apostolate of the editions that includes audio video products and the use of the latest and fastest means of communication. Printing press, radioTV

station and cinema production houses became part of the apostolate of the Society of St Paul.

The Society of St Paul has a specific spirituality based on Jesus Master, Way, Truth and Life (cf. Jn 14:6). Fr. Alberione presents this spirituality as an integral method that helps the integral growth of every Pauline and everyone who lives by this devotion. In the Society of St Paul, Mary isvenerated

under the title Queen of Apostles. The spirit of the Congregation and of every member comes from St Paul. Fr. Alberione considers St Paul as Patron, Protector, Model, Teacher, Father and Founder of the Congregation.

The Congregation that had a humble beginning at Alba started to spread in Italy and to the other parts of the world. At present, the Society of St Paul is present in twenty-nine countries spread through all the continents. Two Italian missionaries came to India in 1935 to sow the seeds of the Society of St Paul, but due to various difficulties, they were unable to begin their activities until 1939 when Bishop Poli of Allahabad officially admitted the Paulines into his Diocese. Today, Indian Province consists of four countries (India, Nigeria, Great Britain and Ireland) with twenty-one communities. We have in India press, publishing house, multimedia products, parishes and Media Institutes as part of our apostolic activities.

We celebrate the feast of our Founder, Blessed James Alberione. Along with my Team and all in the Provincialate, I join you spiritually to celebrate the event meaningfully. I pray that God our loving Father may shower his choicest blessings on all of us and on all the apostolic activities of our Province through the intercession of our beloved Founder.

Our Province has just celebrated the Chapter on the theme “Do everything for the Gospel”. Alberione employed all his energies to the spread of the Good News in all its forms with all means that were at his disposal. Though physically weak he was moved by the Spirit of God to leap in to the unknown for the sake of the Gospel. May the vision of our heavenly Founder inspire us to greater commitment in our mission. May his determination to do something noble to the men and women of his times challenge us to personal renewal and may his indomitable spirit inspire us to be and to do everything for the Gospel.

Have a wonderful and grace-filled celebration of the feast. Stay blessed always.

Kindly keep our Brothers in Nigeria in your special prayers. May the Good Shepherd be close to them during these days of pain, sorrow and loss.